Romney ahead in New Hampshire polls
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is the overwhelming favourite to capture the New Hampshire primary, despite suffering criticism over a gaffe he made about enjoying firing people.
The former governor of neighbouring Massachusetts carried a significant lead in polls into voting day, one which should force rivals Ron Paul, Jon Huntsman, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum into a battle for second place.
Mr Romney, 63, would be the first Republican who is not an incumbent president to win the first two early voting states, following his slim eight-vote victory over Rick Santorum a week ago in the Iowa caucuses.
He is also leading polls in the next two states on the election calendar, South Carolina (21 January) and Florida (31 January).
“You’re going to make a big statement tomorrow, let’s take it to the next step, give me the boost I need, I hope,” Mr Romney said on the eve of voting.
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But he did himself no favours when he said “I like being able to fire people,” when he talked about greater competition between health insurance companies.
His opponents leapt on the mistake, with Mr Huntsman saying: “Governor Romney enjoys firing people. I enjoy creating jobs.”
Mr Gingrich, previously the contest’s frontrunner: “Mitt Romney was not a capitalist during his reign at Bain. He was a predatory corporate raider,” says a video produced by a pro-Gingrich group.”